Iterations

Yet another happy accident in my career…

It seems like this work is worth delving into. Although I don't know yet whether it will end up as a series of blog posts or my installments in the "Tutorials" section. Maybe both? That's the beauty of running your own website. You never know!

But it's certainly already clear that I'm very consistent in this. It's my iron will in action.

Two years ago, I created my first prototype of derby shoes in navy blue calfskin. From the very beginning, I knew which lines I wanted to experiment with.

The result was so satisfying that I returned to it again and again. For this website, it's a milestone, maybe even a masterpiece. Even though it's still just a prototype.

Over time, however, I became increasingly drawn to something new. Since this project doesn't have a specific deadline, I was able to spend some time thinking about it. Most of the lines remain quite similar, but I've made a few changes.

I've been kicking around the idea of ​​this heel design for a while now. I'm finally going to test it out!

So, my second prototype is in the works. I thought I'd take you along this time because I'll be exploring things I've never done before, technically speaking.

For example, I'll sew the heel section of the sole—folded over the upper—through the upper and through a specially shaped insole inside the shoe. I hope this will add strength to the build and make it look amazing. I'm incredibly excited about this idea!

Quite by accident, I'll sew the upper by hand. One day, I was tinkering with my sewing machine, frustrated by its poor performance. Eventually, I became so discouraged that I decided to finish the stitching job by hand.

In the meantime, I played around with colors. The result was so beautiful that I finally finished the upper, partially by hand! Now I want to stitch my final uppers entirely by hand using two-tone threads. It was great, accidental discovery.

For the first time, I'll also use a few brass nails instead of wooden pegs to attach the waist part of the sole. I think it will give the sole a nice finish. The front part of the shoe, however, will be sewn using the classic hand-welted method.